November is National Family Caregiver month. And the Mississippi Family Caregiver Support Program is providing services throughout the state including our community. The program offers temporary relief time for the regular or primary caregiver such as a spouse child and relative of an ill, functionally impaired older individual or dementia patient that requires constant in-home care. For more information about this program, contact the MAC Centers at 844-822-4622. See additional details and criteria below.
The Mississippi Family Caregiver Support Program provides services to caregivers of elderly or child 18 or younger.
A caregiver is defined as:
- any individual, regardless of age, providing care for a person 60 years or older; or
- a grandparent or other relative caregiver, 60 years or older, caring for a child 18 years or younger.
The Mississippi Family Caregiver Support Program works in partnership with the 10 Area Agencies on Aging and local community service providers to provide five basic services for family caregivers, including:
- Information to caregivers about available services.
- Assistance to caregivers in gaining access to services.
- Individual counseling, the organization of support groups, caregiver training to assist the caregivers in making decisions and solving problems relating to their caregiving roles.
- Respite care to enable caregivers to be temporarily relieved from caregiving responsibilities.
- Supplemental services, on a limited basis, to complement the care provided by caregivers.
